Apparatus for coating fibers



Dec. 1; 1936. E. BLEIBLER APIFAIL'S'IUS FOR COATING FIBERS Filed May-21, 1932 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Ernst smbwr Dec. 1, 1936. E. BLEIBLERAPPARATUS FOR COATING FIBERS Filed May 21, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ErnstEmma Patented 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] r 2,062,389arr-macros non COATING mans Ernst Bleibler, Gent, Belgium 4 Claims.

form of single or double threads, ribbons or thelike, valuableproperties. I

In particular, it is by means of the improved 10 method, possible toimpart to the fibers properties-which they do not possess in theirnatural state and, on the other hand, to exploit their valuable naturalproperties. Thus fibers, which owing to their appearance are notadaptable for 16 the manufacture of clothing, but possess greatstrength, maybe made available for the purpose mentioned by imparting tothem by the improved method, all those properties which they are shortof and which are valuable for the purll pose in question, such asluster, dyeing capacity,

waterproofness and so on.;

The method of treating the fibers, according to the invention, thusopensup new fields of applications for those natural raw materials,

85 and, for instance, materials which due to their properties were up tonow unsuitable for covering walls, floors and so on may now be madeuseful for the purpose. On the other hand the qualities of the celluloseproducts are consider- 80 ably improved by the treatment, in so far asthe -strength and durability of the natural textile materials may beimparted to them which they do not'possess as a general rule. Thusspheres of utilization are opened up for cellulose products 85 whichwere closed to them before.

According to this invention spreading, smoothing, stroking and the likeappliances are used for distributing the cellulose in its liquid rawstate around the fiber, which at the point of contact 40 are movabletransversely to the fiber or are stationary and the fiber movabletransversly to them.

By the apparatus according to the invention it is possible to coatnatural threads with a uni- 45 form layer of liquid cellulose, such asviscose, and tocoagulate the thus obtained intermediate product withoutchange of shape. The improved method only renders it at all possible tocoat natural fibers. Natural fibers have an irregular 50 cross-sectionand contain thicker and thinner portions, knots and the like, so that itis impossible to make use of the usual spinning nozzles, as their mouthis rigid and incapable of givingway, so that the fibers or threads break55 when thick sections pass through the nozzle and Application May 21,1932, Serial No. sic-.814

. In Germany May 21, 1931 (01. 91-370 then chokethe bore. If, however,the crosssection of the passage through the nomle or other coatingdevice is made variable inaccordance with the present invention, theresilient or elastic portions of the coatingdevice are able j to giveway when forced aside by the irregularities of the fibers or threads, sothat no inadmissible stresses develop in the fiber or the thread and itis at the same time possible to adapt the coating, as regards thethickness, for instance,

to the variable-cross-section of the thread or rigid material forcontacting the filament passing therebetween, the filament engagingportions of each of said members being so formed that the surfacethereof converges gradually to-- wards and into contact with thefilament in the direction of movement of the filament. At least one ofsaid strickling members comprises a pivoted lever which lever isarranged for movement in a path removing each point of its contactingsurface away from the path of travel of the filament as soon as anythickening of the filament passes the contact point. Resilientpreferably regulable means are provided for urging the lever to causethe portions which engage the filament to lightly touch the filament,and to cause them to constantly follow any unevenness of the movingfilament.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the point of contact of thepivoted lever with the filament is arranged so remote from the normalline drawn from the pivot to the path of movement or the filament, sothat each point of the contacting lever surface is moved away from-thepath of travel of the filament.

Any of the well-known cellulose derivatives in liquid condition, such asviscose, will serve as a coating which then as soonas the fiber is satu-According to a further feature of the invention this passage throug thecoagulation bath is efi'ected in such a wa that the coagulation hastaken place at least superficially prior to the fiber touching anothersolid body, such as ui rollers, thread guides or the like. In apreferred embodiment of the invention the coagulation liquid or solutionis applied. tangentially tothe direction of travel behind the free orfloating length of the fiber, as will be described in greater detailfurther on.

In the drawings afllxed hereto and forming part of the specification theinvention is illustrated as embodied in a number of constructions,partly by perspective views, partly by diagrams. It will be readilyunderstood, however, that my invention is by no means limited to theseconstructions and that the scope of my invention and the ambit of myappended claims extends to any construction incorporating the broadprinciple underlying my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in vertical section and in diagrammatic fashion, areceptacle containing a cellulosic solution in conjunction with acoating, strickling or stroking device.

Fig. 2 illustrates a sectional elevation, a nozzle constructed accordingto this invention.

Figs. 3 and 4. show in side elevation and in plan another modificationof a strickling device.

Figs. 5 and 6 show in side elevation and in plan respectively, anotherform of the invention.

Figs. '7 and 8 show in side elevation and in plan respectively, still afurther form of the invention.

Figs. 9 and 10 are a side elevation and plan respectively of anotherform of the invention.

Figs. 11 and 12 show two examples of an arrangement of a primary bathvessel, a coagulating bath vessel and means for passing the threadto betreated from one bath to the other without touching any rigid part otherthan the stricklingdevice.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings ll indicates a receptacle containingthe cellulose in its liquid primary state, for instance in the form ofviscose. The thread l3 to be coated is unwound from a reel l4, passedover a guide roller l5 through the bath l2 and issues from the bath at astrickling coating, applying or spreading device lG. Some designs ofthis device are, by way of example, illustrated in Figs. 2 to 15 of thedrawings.

Fig. 2 of the drawings illustrates in sectional elevation a nozzle themouth portion 20 of which consists of a plurality of movable sections 2|These sections may be formed by incisions or slits 22, so that, providedthe nozzle is constructed of an elastic material, the sections can bebent back and give way; the sections 2i may, however, be

pivotally mounted or .hinged at their bases as indicated at 25. Thesections of the mouthpiece are then drawn together or forced against thethread by a helical spring in form of a ring 23, but are able to giveway when encountering irregularities in the thread.

In the embodiments shown in side elevation in Figs. 3 and 5 and in planin Figs. 4 and 6, the spreading or stroking device consists of members30, 3| and 32, 33 respectively having the tendency to approach eachother and provided with rounded faces as in Fig. 3, or oblique faces, as

in Fig. 5 and thus gradually converge into a slit 35 or 36 forming atapering outlet opening. One of these members, for instance 32 in Figs.5 and 6, or both bodies 30, 3|, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

are adapted to rock around pivot pins 40, and are forced against thethread l3, by means of a sliding weight 4| as in the example ofconstruction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or by an adjusting spring 42, 43 asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, but are able to swing or to approach andrecede under the action of irregularities in the cross-section of thethread. These members are preferably so arranged, that under normalconditions they are in stable equilibrium under the action of theretrieving forces, i. e. the weights 4|, spring 42, and that theirdeflecting motion under the influence of irregularities of the'thread'starts in the direction of travel of the thread or the like.

The operative faces of the strickling or coating device are preferablyso designed that they gradually converge into a slit. The slit may beuniform across the entire width of the coating device, but it may also,as shown in Fig. 6, be provided with recesses 46 at the point of exit ofthe fiber or thread. By varying the position of the sliding weight orthe tension of the spring it is thus possible to adapt the mode ofoperation of the coating device closely to the conditions prevailing,the nature of the material, the strength of the fiber or the thread, theviscosity of the cellulose in its primary state, and to control thedevice accordingly.

The Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a further con struction of the coatingdevice. In this embodiment of the inventionthe bodies tapering intonozzles consist of two parts 50, 5| of rectangular cross-section. Onepart comprises a mouthpiece 52 adapted to rock around a hinge pin 53,which under the action of the.spring 54 is pressed against the fiber orthread l3 by means of a system of lever 55, 56 and adapts its positionto the irregularities of the cross-section of the thread. In view of theviscosity of the liquid or solution used for coating, a lateralconfinement is unnecessary in these coating devices; .the liquid willfirst surround the thread with a flattened crosssection which, however,withregard to the free length of thread located behind the point ofissue from the coating device, contracts into a uniformlyroundcross-section. This uniform application of the cellulose solutionaround the fiber or threads may be adjusted by suitably setting theworking speed, controlling the viscosity of the celluloid solution, thepressure applied to the point of exit from the coating device and soon.-

It will be understood that rods, rollers, drums and the like over whichthe fiber is guided along a sinuous path may also serve as a spreadingor stroking device.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the rollers 88, 33 are held in jaw-like structures 90,9| and 92, 93 respectively by pivotally mounted members 94, 95, one ofwhich is adapted to rock around the hinge pin 96 fixed in the members94. The pressure may be adjusted or regulated by means of springs, or asshown in the drawings by means of the sliding weights 99.

The coating devices according to the invention .are preferablyconstructed of an acidand base-proof material, such as a ceramicmaterial, porcelain, glass or the like, or of a precious metal, forinstance nickel or its alloys or of a core or foundation body covered orcoated with a ceramic material or corrosion-proof metal. In all casesthe coating devices will be so constructed that they do not change thedirection of travel of the fibers or the thread at all or only aninconsiderable extent; In this way it is avoided that the cellulosesolution is entirely or partly stripped aocaseo or wiped off the threadon the deflected side and the equalization of thecellulose solutionaround the periphery of the thread affected thereby.

In Figs. 11 and 12 ofthe drawings two examples are shown whichillustrate how the fiber, thread or tape passes from the primary bath ofviscose, for instance, and the coating device into the further treatmentbaths. To start with a free or floating length of thread is providedhehind the coating device or betweenthe coating devices at H0, in orderto enable the primary liquid to distribute itself uniformly around thethread. To avoid injury of the thus formed and uniformly distributedcoating on the thread, the coating is according toa further feature ofthe invention immediately behind the free length throughout orsuperficially coagulated before the fiber, the thread or band comes incontact with another solid body, for instance a guide roller or threadguide or the like. For carrying out this feature of the invention thecoagulation -liquid is applied to the fiber or the like tangentially inthe direction of travel.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 11 the fiber or thread to betreated enters an annular nozzle Ill designed as mouthpiece of a vesselH2. The, vessel H2 contains, for instance in an annularlyshapedextension directed jdown-' wards from the vessel, for example, astore of liquid, which is fed to the nozzle under pressure through thepipe 4, a suitable pumping device 5, and pipe ill. The nozzle sprays orsquirts the coagulation liquid around the thread. The coating coagulatesat first only superficially, so that it becomes indifferent'to contactwith further solid bodies, such as guide rollers and the like.From'thenozzle the coagulation liquid returns through the intermediatemember ll6 into the vessel i l2, so that the coagulation liquiddescribes a closed cycle. The treated thread 0 is in the vessel 8 i2subjected to further. treatment of the coagulation liquid and thenpasses, in a manner not shown in the drawings, into further finishingbaths, identical with those customary in the manufacture of celluloseproducts. The thread is then wound on to the reel or bobbin 120.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 12 the coagulation liquid isbehind the free length or floating portion H0 applied to the fiber orthread or band in the form of a. free jet.

The vessel containing the cellulose in its liquid primary state isdesignated I30; towards the exit side of the thread, in the direction ofthe coating device, the wall l3| of the vessel is inclined or oblique,so that contact with the thread issuing from the bath is avoided. Thecoagulation liquid i-33 is contained in the vessel lSLwhich is fittedwith a mouthpiece from which thecoagulation liquid issues in a free jetI 36. The coagulation liquid flowing out of the vessel is caught in acontainer its and through pipe M0, the pumping device lti and thedelivery pipe I42 pumped back into the vessel I34, sothat it moves in acomplete cycle. The thread is at ldiintrodiiced into the free jetwithout coming in contact with any solid body, and passed through thejet for such a length of time, or the'length of the jet, the dimensionsof the vesseL'theworking speed of the thread and the coagulation. liquidand the composition of the latter so proportioned, that the threadpasses over the guide rollers M8, M9

then only when it is throughout or at least on the surface sufiicientlycoagulated, so that the risk of an injury to the coating no longerarises.

From the coagulation bath the thread through further treatment baths,drying apparatus and the like, which correspond with the customary equpment in the manufacture of cellulose products, in particular in theartificial silk or rayon industry. The treatment baths may like theprimary bath be supplied to the thread tangentially to the direction oftravel, in the manner described above, for instance by means of aring-shaped nozzle or as free jet, should this be found suitable oradvantageous.

For the subsequent treatment the fiber, thread orribbon may, as in theknown process, be

passed from bath to -'bath, or to the successive pended claims should beconstrued in the light.

of prior knowledge.

I claim as my invention: i. In a device for coating filaments ofnaturalfibersv with liquid cellulose derivatives, a 'plurality of membersformed of rigid material and having an edge-like strickling surfaceadapted to i make contact with the fiber to be coated, said memberscomprising resiliently supported movable levers arranged in a circlearound the thread under treatment.

2. In a device for coating filaments ofnatural fibers with liquidcellulose derivatives, a strickling device comprising at least twomembers of rigid material for contacting a filament passingtherebetween, the filament engaging portionsof each of said membersbeing so formed that the surface thereof converges gradually toward andinto contact with the filament in the direction of movement of thefilament, at least one of said members comprising a pivoted lever, thepoint of contact with the filament beingv beyond the pivot axis of thelever in the direction of. movement of the filament, whereby said leveris movable for removing each point of its contacting surface from thepath of the filament upon any thickening of the filament passing thecontact point, and

regulable resilient means for urging said lever to cause filamentengaging portions to lightly touch thefilament and for causing them toconstantly follow unevenness of the moving filament.

3. In a device for coating filaments of natural fibers with liquidcellulose derivatives, a strickling. device comprising at least twoindividual members of rigid material and resilient means for urging saidmembers against said filament under a light touch, at least one of saidmembers being arranged for movement relative to the other ina pathremoving each point of its filament contacting surface from the path ofthe filament upon any thickening of the filament passing the contactpoint, whereby the, filament contacting surfaces of the members areadapted to constantly follow unevenness of the moving filament with asubstantially constant contact touch, a bath of liquid coating materialdisposed at a distance below said strickling device, a bath of liq uidcoagulating material disposed at a distance above said stricklingdevice, means associated with said coagulating device .for freelyintroducing the filament into the coagulating bath from below, therebeing no rigid parts in the path of filament between the upper level ofthe coating bath and the lower level of the coagulating bath,

' said strickling device excepted.

4. In a device for coating filaments of natural fibers with liquidcellulose derivatives, a strickling device comprising at least twomembers of rigid material for contacting a filament passingtherebetween, the filament engaging portions oi each of said membersbeing so formed that the surface thereof converges gradually toward andinto contact with the filament in the direction cause filament engagingportions to lightly touch 10 the filament and for causing them toconstantly follow unevenness of the moving filament.

. ERNST BLEIIBLER.

